title: Larvicidal efficacy of Catharanthus roseus Linn. (Family: Apocynaceae) leaf extract and bacterial insecticide Bacillus thuringiensis against Anopheles stephensi Liston.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the larvicidal activity of Catharanthus roseus (C. roseus) leaf extract and Bacillus thuringiensis (B. thuringiensis) against the malarial vector Anopheles stephensi (An. stephensi), when being used alone or together.
  
  
  METHODS
  The larvicidal activity was assayed at various concentrations under the laboratory and field conditions. The LC50 and LC90 values of the C. roseus leaf extract were determined by probit analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The plant extract showed larvicidal effects after 24 h of exposure; however, the highest larval mortality was found in the petroleum ether extract of C. roseus against the first to fourth instars larvae with LC50=3.34, 4.48, 5.90 and 8.17 g/L, respectively; B. thuringiensis against the first to fourth instars larvae with LC50=1.72, 1.93, 2.17 and 2.42 g/L, respectively; and the combined treatment with LC50=2.18, 2.41, 2.76 and 3.22 g/L, respectively. No mortality was observed in the control.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The petroleum ether extract of C. roseus extract and B. thuringiensis have potential to be used as ideal eco-friendly agents for the control of An. stephensi in vector control programs. The combined treatment with this plant crude extract and bacterial toxin has better larvicidal efficacy against An. stephensi.
authors.affiliation: DRDO-BU Center for Life Sciences, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore 641046, Tamil Nadu, India; Division of Entomology, Department of Zoology, School of Life Sciences, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore 641046, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Chellasamy
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Panneerselvam
authors.forename: Kadarkarai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Murugan
authors.forename: Kalimuthu
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kovendan
authors.forename: Palanisamy Mahesh
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Sekar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ponarulselvam
authors.forename: Duraisamy
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Amerasan
authors.forename: Jayapal
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Subramaniam
authors.forename: Jiang-Shiou
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Hwang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000852:Anopheles / Q000187:drug effects*; D001413:Bacillus thuringiensis / Q000737:chemistry*; D030008:Catharanthus / Q000737:chemistry*; D004199:Disease Vectors; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007300:Insect Control / Q000379:methods*; D007306:Insecticides / Q000494:pharmacology; D007814:Larva / Q000187:drug effects; D008288:Malaria / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D007306:Insecticides; D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: Anopheles stephensi; Bacillus thuringiensis; Catharanthus roseus; Larvicidal activity